Collapsible wardrobe



l. BLECHMAN I COLLAPSIBLE WARDROBE Sept. 19, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 25, 1947 INVENTOR.

Sept. 19, 1950 1'. LEcHMAN coL APsiBLE WARDROBE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 23, 1947 i g n .7

XY'TOWY Patented Sept. 19, 1950 UNITEDV'STATES PATENT...

1 fieo'mirsmw wARDnoBn I Irving Blechman, New York, 'N. Application December 23, 1947, Serial No..793,464 .7

The present invention relates to collapsible wardrobes of that type incorporating materials, primarily paper board, re-enforced with wood or plastic. The wardrobe of the present type is adapted for collapse to such dimensions, and with such light weight as to adapt the same for parcel post shipment. The specific object of-the invention is to provide a collapsible wardrobe having a novel construction at its upperarea, which will give access to a shelf for the support .of hats or other relatively small articles, and at the same time maintain strongconnection between the top, the side walls, and thebase, the-arrangement including a novel connection between the .door frame and elements of the top andbase members which form re-enforcing -walls-at-the opposite ends of the door frame. These and other objects of the invention will be described with reference to the accompanying .sdrawings, in which: v I e v Figure l is an isometric view showing an embodiment of the invention, the shelf-accessdoor being partially open, together with one of the two primary doors; w y

Figure 2 is a composite view showing all of the elements of the closet but separated from each other, the top and bottom members being moved outwardly for clarity ofn illustration;

Figure 3 is a perspectiveview arose ofthe hook members which interengage the top and the side walls; 7

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary section on t e n Fi :-.1- 5.1;:

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary-section on the line 55, Fig. 1; V I

Figure 6 is an enlar ed fragmentary ;;section on the line 6-6, Fig. 1;

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary section on the line 1-1, Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, the primary body member consists of a unitary sheet of paper board or other suitable foldable material having parallel and longitudinal fold lines, one of which is shown at la: to provide a back wall I and side walls 2. At an upper area within the side walls, the latter are re-enforced by transverse bars 3 which receive studs 4 driven in from the exterior of the side walls 2. These bars serve three purposes. They stiffen and re-enforce the upper areas of the side walls, they serve as stress distributing and holding members for a hanger rod 5, this rod being secured to the bars in any suitable manner, as by the hooks 5a., and straps 5m, and the said bars 3 serve as base supports 1Claim. (c1. em -14.4)

re-enforced by wood strips 6x as shown in Fi g .;.2l. I prefer that. preliminary to shipping a top member and a bottom member be each hingedly connectedto the rearvwallln The bottom menu 5 her consists of a sheet of paper board orthe like, cut and scored toprovide a major. walls], a rearmost flap 8, two side flaps 9,- and a fro'nt wall l0 formed with rearwardlyzextending -fiaps like. 'I have diagrammatically indicated at.. fastening means for connecting the rear flap ll with the back wall lof the closet. I h

The top member consists of a sheet of paper board or other suitable material having a major wall l2 scored atlZnand bent to form afront Wall l3, the major Wall having a rearwardly folded flap i4 and side'flaps l 5,--'and thefr'ont wall [3 having rearwardly extending flaps I6. l,

The front wall l3 of the top member, below fold v line I3 is formed with parallelvertical cuts at [1, one of thesecuts being shownin Figurel, and both cuts indicated by dotted lines; in Fig. 2.; The base of thecuts ,I! terminate at a horizontal out l8. This provides a horizontally hinged door l3ar which may be raisedand lowered for. access to a compartment haVingtheshelf- B 851155 base. I I. .Belowcut line 18, wall 13 is re-enforced by. a transverse strip IQ of wood or the like. Also, the lower horizontal margin of door I33: is re,- enforcedbya similar strip 20, which strip is; in register with vertical strips 2| carried door I34: and extendedlaterallybeyond the same so as to abut'the sections of the frontarea. of the top memberlying-at each side thereof outwardly of the cuts l1. v I

I have-preferably providedthedoor I33! with agwindow at 22., which-may be disposed within a frame 23, if desired. The window may be of a transparent synthetic material, such as cello- 40 phane."

A frame is provided for the major doors and for additional re-enforcement of v the cabinet front. The frame is composed of vertical frame members 24 joined at their ends by transverse frame members 25. When two doors 26 are employed, I prefer to join the horizontal frame members 25 centrally thereof by an intermediate vertical bar 21.

As shown by Figure 6, the vertical frame membars 24 are grooved to receive the side walls 2 and nails 28 may be employed for a simpleand effective holding of the door frame to the said side walls. Also, said vertical frame members 24 are slotted at their inner faces to receive, as to for a shelf 6. This shelf may be of paper board 5 each frame member 24, one of the margins ofa door 26. Each of these doors consists of a sheet of paper board having a fold line at 26* and reenforced at its front by a channelled bar 29. The vertical bar 21 intermediate the doors 26, may be provided with turnable latch members 30.

It will be noted by reference to Figure 1, that the primary door frame lies above the base of the closet, a distance equal to the height of front wall ll) of the bottom member. In assembling the door frame, the bottom member is brought from the position of Figure 2 to that of Figure 1,

and secured to the side walls by any suitable means, such as prong fasteners, the latter being diagrammatically indicated at 32, Figure 1. The

door frame is then dropped over upon wall wand t is shown in Figures 2 and 5, both the vertical frame members 24 at their *base and the lower" horizontal frame member 25 are cut to provide a forward lip 25a: which will abut the outer face of member ID, and said bottom frame member 25'carries ,a lip member 25m: which, in the present embodiment is a strip of wood nailed to member 25. The construction may be integral, if desired. For clarity of illustration, lip 25:03: is substantially spaced from] member Ill but in practice lip 25m: will lie close to member I0.

When the base of the frame is in position, the front wall 13 of the top member will be swung from the position of Figure 2 to the position of Figure 1, and in doing so the clips 34 will automatically grasp and. hold down the top member in connection with the side walls 2. These clips are preferably carried by wood strips 35 which strips will be tacked or otherwise secured to the lips IS. The curved leg of clip 34 as well as the leg immediately adjacent thereto will lie at the under face of lip projected from the top member, and hence the side walls will enter between said two legs and be grasped thereby. In Fig. 2

th strips 35 have been omitted for clarity ofillustration. When, as stated, the top member has been moved downwardly, its front wall I3 will lie between the upwardly projected lip 31 and a lip member 38 similar to member 25mm on the lower frame member 25, as shown in Figure 4. Here again the spacing between the lip 38 and wall 13 will be less than that shown in Fig. 4, the spacing being exaggerated for clarity of illustration. I

To hold door 133: in closed position, pivoted latch members 39 may be carried by bar 19.

By reason of the construction shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the door frame member is held not only by the side walls, but by the front walls I0 and [3 carried respectively by the base member and the top member of the closet. It will also be noted that bar l9 will lie directly in line with the shelf so that the latter will resist inward deflection of wall I3. The construction provides a rigid assembly, notwithstanding the light weight thereof, and an assembly which may readily be brought out from folded form into the final form of Figure 1. At 321; I have diagrammatically indicated simple means for securing the lip I6 to the side walls 2, as by prong fasteners projected inwardly from the outside.

Having, described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as fol- 1 lows:

A collapsible closet consisting of a sheet of foldable material scored to fold into back wall ,and side wall units, a bottom closure having rear and side lips anda front wall formed with rearwardly extending foldable lips, a top closure comprising a top wall having a foldable rear lip and side lips and also formed with a hinged front extension, provided by cutting said extension with parallel vertical cuts and a horizontal out meeting the vertical cuts, vertical rigid strips normally covering said vertical cuts and carried by the area intermediate said vertical cuts, a horizontal substantially rigid bar under said horizontal cut and at least one latch element carried thereby, complementary vertical and horizontal strips carried by the hinged front extension, and reinforcing the same at the central area thereof and providing a window frame, whereby said hinged front extension of flexible material is made a substantially rigid unit, the said-extension having rearwardly extending lips for securing to the side wall units, said extension being adapted to cover an upper front area of the closet for co-action with the front *wall of the bottom closure to provide a closet havinga major centrally disposed opening, door closure means for said major central opening, and said door closure means having hinged connection laterally thereof, said last nam'ed means including a rectangular frame having vertical bars channelled and therein directly receiving said sidewall units.

' IRVING BLECHMAN.

REFERENCES "CITED The following references are of record "in the file of this patent:,

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

